FLW’s Sunderland fan commentator hopes the club will search elsewhere for a manager after ties to ex-manager Alex Neil surfaced.
According to reports, Sunderland may revisit Alex Neil in their search for a new manager following Michael Beale’s dismissal.
The Black Cats parted ways with Beale last week after only 12 games in charge, and have appointed Mike Dodds as caretaker manager until the end of the season, giving plenty of time for a new manager to take over in the summer.
However, Sunderland fans are concerned about the current scenario, as the club has lost three games in a row, including Dodds’ first game back in command, a 2-1 defeat to Swansea City on Saturday.
Despite the lack of an instant announcement, names have been linked to the Stadium of Light vacancy. The next contentious figure to emerge is ex-Sunderland manager Alex Neil, who left the club in 2022 when Stoke City approached him.
According to Alan Nixon, Neil would welcome the opportunity to return to Sunderland and fill the management job. Neil was able to lead them to the playoffs during his last spell in charge. The Scotsman beat Sheffield Wednesday in the semi-finals before defeating Wycombe Wanderers 2-0 in the final to reclaim the Championship after four seasons in League One.
The judgment on Alex Neil’s prospective return to Sunderland
Wearside had made a reasonable start to life in the second tier during the early months of 2022/23, but Neil’s move to Stoke City in August 2022 threatened to destroy their season.
Many Sunderland fans saw this as a sideways move, and they were furious with the 42-year-old as a result. Neil has since been fired by Stoke following a disastrous tenure at the bet365 Stadium, but he is eager to return to management.
Sunderland fan pundit Jack Austwicke is opposed to a reunion with Neil, believing it would be detrimental rather than beneficial. He stated, “Personally, I wouldn’t be too excited about Alex Neil signing. Those bridges were burned.
“I don’t see it happening because he departed and then said a lot about our model and how he wasn’t a fan of it.
“I don’t see why he would return to the same administration that hasn’t changed and won’t change.
“I don’t see it occurring at all.
“Despite his dismal performance at Stoke, I still believe he is a brilliant manager.
“He would come in already on the back foot with people and it would be a disaster waiting to happen in my opinion.”
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